News from around the Ojai Valley

Big changes on tap for high school traffic

Maricopa Highway bike lane project between Nordhoff High School and the “Y,” shows the vehicle lane and bike lane side by side.

Perry Van Houten,Ojai Valley News reporter

Work is set to begin on a series of construction projects aimed at improving traffic safety for bicyclists and pedestrians in the city of Ojai.

“We're so close,” said Ojai Public Works Director Greg Grant. “We're just working with the designer to finalize documents, and then we'll probably let them move ahead.”

The first project is planned for the 900 block of East Ojai Avenue in front of the Whispering Oaks housing complex.

This project will include a new crosswalk, flashing beacons and curb extensions that will stick out six or seven feet from the curb that will allow signage to be placed further out in the street, Grant said.

Departing superintendent opens up about OUSD’s future

Andy Cantwell, shown leading a tour of the Ojai Unified School District's (OUSD) Chaparral property, took over the OUSD superintendent position Aug.17, upon Hank Bangser's retirement.

Andra Belknap,Ojai Valley News reporter

Hank Bangser, 68, retired as superintendent of the Ojai Unified School District (OUSD) after eight years on the job Aug. 17. His former assistant, 31-year-old Andy Cantwell, took over the district’s leadership role.

Bangser decided in 2016 to expedite his own retirement plans to ensure Cantwell would be his sucessor.

Cantwell is now responsible for guiding OUSD through a host of issues including declining enrollment, budgetary challenges and the District's continued work to find a developer interested in leasing its Chaparral property.

New mothers getting support, advice from volunteers

Gail Kalinowski, a ParentCare volunteer, holds Satya Twena's infant, Wish. Kalinowski vounteered with Twena and her family for three months.

Andra Belknap,Ojai Valley News reporter

Satya Twena moved to Ojai in November 2016, pregnant with her daughter, Wish, who was born in late December.

“I was so not prepared,” said Twena of her first weeks as a new mother. “I didn't know how underprepared I was. I had everything I was supposed to have, but some kids are a little more challenging during that fourth trimester time.”

Twena found support in ParentCare, a program of the Nan Tolbert Nurturing Center (NTNC), that pairs local volunteers with new moms during the first three months of a baby's life.

Dog abuser ordered to pay restitution

A convicted animal abuser has been ordered by to pay restitution to the owner of a dog he severely injured and then dumped on the side of a road in Ojai.

At a hearing Aug. 10, 21-year-old Spencer Whitewood was ordered by Superior Court Judge Charles W. Campbell to pay $22,461 to the owner of the dog, a former roommate.

According to a Ventura County District Attorney’s Office statement, Whitewood was home alone Nov. 10, 2015, with Mayble, an eight-month-old Chihuahua and later that day informed his roommate the dog had gone missing.

Ojaians can watch one of nature's most spectacular occurrences Aug. 21 at the Ojai Library.

Beginning at 9 a.m., the library will host a live stream viewing of the 2017 solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the sun, revealing the solar corona.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible from Southern California, while some areas of the country will witness a total eclipse.

The library will project a live stream of the eclipse in the library meeting room, “and a limited number of eclipse glasses will be available for folks who want to view the eclipse themselves,” said Ron Solorzano, regional librarian, who has picked out some of the best viewing spots on the library grounds.

City gives applicant, commission wrong design guidelines for downtown building

Details

Published on Thursday, 10 August 2017 15:03

Perry Van Houten, Ojai Valley News reporter

Renovation plans for a property adjacent to the Arcade were sent back from the Ojai City Council to the Ojai Planning Commission for further review.

Renovations to the building, at 334 E. Ojai Ave., were recommended for approval on a six-to-one vote by the Planning Commission at its July 5 meeting. That recommendation went to the City Council for consideration Aug. 8.

By a unanimous vote, the Council opted to refer the matter back to the Planning Commission.

Its decision was based not on issues with the plans, but the process by which the Planning Commission arrived at its decision.

“The process … could have been better, I think. It's clear,” said Councilman William Weirick.

Cannabis delivery services on hold awaiting city guidelines

A lack of definition from the city of Ojai on dispensary security protocols is delaying the start of Ojai's first legal medical cannabis deliveries.

Ojai City Manager Steve McClary confirmed that he and Ventura County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) Capt. James Fryhoff have completed walkthroughs of the three city-licensed dispensaries' Bryant Circle offices, but are still finalizing security requirements.

“(We are) trying to find a balance between safety and what is reasonable for the businesses to bear,” said McClary. “The goal is to create a safe area for employees, as well as to protect persons in the adjoining businesses.”

The Ojai Valley News lost a great friend last week when part-time sports writer Tim Tuttle passed away unexpectedly. The news of Tim’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks and I am still trying to gather my thoughts and emotions. Although we normally communicated from afar, I grew to really like and respect Tim, so his passing is a huge loss.

Tim emailed me out of the blue a few years ago and in his typical humble fashion informed me that he grew up in Ojai and had “done a little sports writing” in the past and would be

The Nordhoff High School football program got its season under way July 31 with the linemen getting in some agility work. According to head coach Lance Wiggins, the bigs up front will be a strength of this year’s squad. NHS will put in work before opening the season Aug. 25 in Hueneme at 7 p.m. The program also will host its annual Casino Night Aug. 12 at the Ojai Valley Community Church. For more details, call Mike Dawkins at 340-1057.

Raegan Mang runs away from defenders in a game against The Thacher School last season. Mang has rushed for more than 3,000 yards in his three seasons as a starting quarterback.

Mike Miller,Ojai Valley News sports editor

Catching up with Villanova Preparatory School quarterback Raegan Mang is no easy task, just ask the defensive players in the Condor League. However, the Ojai Valley News was able to get Mang to sit still long enough to answer a handful of questions before the senior begins his final season as a Wildcat.

Mang has been Villanova’s starting quarterback since his freshman year and while his stats

Several 14U Ojai volleyball players participated in club volleyball this summer and will now transition into local high schools.

Things should be looking up for years to come for fans of Nordhoff High School (NHS) girls’ volleyball. As always, the fortunes of the team can swing on the graduation or arrival of one or two key talented players. This year something remarkable is coming into play, a battle-tested, pre-packaged

Scout Mathews, a standout at Ojai’s Weil Tennis Academy, hammers a serve at this week’s New Balance High School National Championship, in Ojai. The 15-year-old Mathews entered as the No. 3 seed in the Girls’ 18 singles, but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Madeline Almeida of El Dorado Hills, Calif. See next week’s Ojai Valley News for the final results of the national championship event.